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So while I can sort of agree with you, the H-pattern shifter would have to be a direct mechanical connection to the gearbox, rather than just an electronic lever. I doubt anyone would miss the SMG shift stick though; I'm sure pretty much everyone with SMG uses the paddles rather than the stick to move up and down thru the gears.

I don't like the paddles, it's too hard to shift when going around turns. I actually like the stick shift part better. I know it's not quite as cool, but it's my preference.

will the SMG blip the gas while downshifting like doing heel-toe on stick shift cars?
i heard somewhere it only does it under hard braking..if anyone can give me a little more information about this it would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance.
Ted

Yes, it blips the gas, but I believe you need to be holding your throttle steady anyways. Otherwise, it will just blip the gas to match revs, but it would be like downshifting then suddenly lifting off the gas in a manual car, since your engine braking becomes much stronger in the lower gear.

I purchased a SMG but wish I could turn back time and bought a manaul. Manual is just all that much funner to drive.

Also looking into the future cost and repairs, the maintenance on the SMG over the manual will be much more...as the SMG's got's more electrical and mechanical devices that will eventually wear out as appossed to a manual where typically the clutch is the normal wears in the trans.

new? e46 is not new? e92 will not have SMG, they are phasing it out. If you love manual shifting get the manual.
if you think manual shifting is drudgery then get SMG. SMG is also good in traffic if you drive that every day. SMG does miss shifts, my dad is just out of warranty and it now grinds the synchro in 4th every now and then. he's fighting BMW over the cost of a new trans. this is the third major problem he had with SMG. luckily the other two issues were under warranty.

SMG is also good if you have a wife that cant drive stick BUT in that case maybe you are better off with an M3 the wife can NOT drive.

I have driven SMG back to back with manual over the same roads and its fun like a video game but I get more enjoyment out of a manual. I also dont commutte in traffic every day. my commute is 7 miles down a two lane windy road.

also I dont think SMG is faster - the majority of tests I have seen in the last 8 years the Manuals were faster by a tenth.